Method of forming fans



April 2, 1929. H, FORD 1 1,707,463

METHOD OF FORMING FANS Filed Oct. 5, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l l INVENTR.

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A TTORNE Y.

Aprilz, 1929. H, FORD l 1,707,463 y METHOD OF FORMING FANS Filed Oct. 5, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .La-5.9; F5944 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 2, 1929. I

, lUNITED STATES N .1,701,463 PATENT oFF'lcE.-

HENRY roam, or Dmmaoaiv, moment.

METHOD l' FORMING FANS.

Application led October 5, 1927. Serial No. 224,097.

The object of my invention is to provide a two like sheet metal blanks which, however,

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when formed and properly put togetherare complemental to each other to form an almost perfect air screw.

Still a further object of my invention is to provide such complement-al sheet metal blanks forming a fan andl to provide a hub and pulley member which'may be suitably se cured to such fan proper.

Still a further object of my invention is to provide a fan which may be composed of two complemental blank members which together form an air screw and which may be welded together to form a very rigid structure and which is so shaped that a hub member may be welded to the central portion of the fan members to form a complete fan assembly.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists of the arrangement, combination, and construction of the various parts of my improved device, as described in the specification, claimedin the claim,.and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: 'y

Figure 1 shows a front elevation of a fan constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 show a view taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1. l

Figure 3 shows a plan view of the sheet metal blank from whichmy fan members are initially formed.

Figure 9 shows an elevation of the fan shown in Figure 3 after the fan has been shaped by means of a punch press or other suitable machine.

Figure 4 shows an elevation of the two fan blade members after they have been assembled together.

Figure 5 shows a section Itaken on the 'line 5--5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 shows a section-taken on the line l 6-6 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 shows a section taken on the line 7--7 of Figure 4, and

Figure 8 shows an enlarged sectional view illustratin the manner of securing together*A A the ends o the edges of the members forming my improved fan. Y

This fan is formed by first blanking out from flat sheet 'metal a flat blank 10 which is shown in Figure 3. This blank is then placed in a unch 'press having suitable diesand is struc up to the form shown in Figure 9. A pair of blanks so formed, are turned end `for end and ut together and theni'welded'asl is illustrate in Figures 4 and 8 along their meeting surfaces. These two blanks when so welded together form the -air screwl or fan which 1t is my object to secure@ One end of each blank is shaped to form a proper front or pushing surface for a fan blade, the central portion is formed so that a huband pulley member may be secured therein, and the other' end is shaped to form` a back or pulling surface-for a fan blade. When the two exactly alike blanks'are turned en'd for end relative to each other andthen brought together, it will be seen that one end of each blank will form a lfront orv pushing surface for that end of the fan and the adjacent end of the other blank will form a proper back or pulling surface for that end of the fan so that each of the blades of the fan will haveproper pushing and pulling surfaces. The central portions are complementary to form a properly shaped conical hub portion to whicha hub member proper may be suitably secured. The shaping of the blanks forming this fan is quite clearly illustrated in Figures 5, 6, and 7. In these Afigures it will benoted that the upper half of the blade in each case is relatively flat so that it has the necessary driving power to push the air away from the fan. That is, the upper half of the blade in these figures is the front or pushing side of the blade. The lower half of the blade, however, has the curvature or camber necessary to'create the maximum suction to draw air across the fan blade. In other words, the blades are shaped to give them as nearly as possible the correct configuration for a theoretically perfect air screw. v

rEhe edges of these blanks forming my improved fan are secured together by welding the edges thereof as is illustrated in detail in Figure 8. This method of securing the blanks together gives the fan the necessary rigidity and makes it a substantially integral structure so that it will be serviceable as long Vas the material thereof lasts. It will be noted that the central portion of this improved fan forms a recess having the gen-y togetherf at the inner and outer ends of the.

hub respectively whereby they connection may be strong enough to resist the torque andother stresses of thefan. v

This hub member 11 has at its large end an outwardly'inclined annular iiange 14, which is designed to form one half of the pulley wheel by means of which the fanmay be driven. An oppositely inclined rin 15 is rovidedwith an annular flange 16 w lich is esigned to be Welded as by a weld to the outer surface of the hub 11 adjacent to the flange 14 so that this flange 14 and ring 15 may together form the pulley wheel by means of which the fan may be driven.

This fan may, if desired,.be mounted on any suitable support as is illustrated by the member 17 which may carry a grease cup 18 designed to lubricate a roll'er bearing 19 which is mounted in the support 17. A belt 20 is designed to co-'act with the pulley wheel formed by the liange 14 and ring 15 to drive the fan.

It will be understood that this ,fan is primarilydesigned for use inconnection with the cooling system of' an automotive vehicle, so that it is highly important that it shouldpbe 'and readily constructed. In the second place the fan is very rigid and readily adapted to be placed in an automotive. or other vehicle. The machinery and operations required for the manufacture of this improved fan are relatively few.

Some changes maybe made in the arrangement, construction and combination of the various parts of my improved device Without departing from the spirit of my invention and it is my intention to cover by my claim such changes as ymay reasonably be included within the scope thereof.

I claim as my invention:

The method of forming a fan consisting of weldin together sheet metal blanks to form the bla es and the hub section, then welding a ring to the hub member to form a combined pulley and hub member and then welding the fan member to the hub member complete unitary fan and pulley structure.

HENRY FORD.

to form a 

